


Kuleana

by MissSlothy



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Episode Fix-it, Episode: s06e11 Kuleana (One's Personal Sense of Responsibility), Family Feels, Hugs, Idiots in Love, Light Angst, M/M, Pining, Pre-Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:49:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,859
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27741778
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissSlothy/pseuds/MissSlothy
Summary: “So how was Maui?”Steve looks up from his laptop.  It’s impossible to miss Lou Grover at the best of times but he’d been trying.  According to the clock on his laptop, Lou’s been sitting in the chair, on the other side of his desk, for at least three minutes.Leaning back in his chair, he meets Lou’s gaze.  He considers lying. Dismisses it.  “I screwed up, Lou.  Big time.”
Relationships: Steve McGarrett & Danny "Danno" Williams
Comments: 21
Kudos: 145





	Kuleana

**Author's Note:**

> I watched S6 e11 the other day (the episode when Danny and Steve end up on a couples' counselling course by accident) and this popped into my head :)
> 
> Kuleana is a Hawaiian value and practice which is loosely translated to mean "responsibility." The word kuleana refers to a reciprocal relationship between the person who is responsible, and the thing which they are responsible for.

“So how was Maui?”

Steve looks up from his laptop. It’s impossible to miss Lou Grover at the best of times but he’d been trying. According to the clock on his laptop, Lou’s been sitting in the chair, on the other side of his desk, for at least three minutes. 

Leaning back in his chair, he meets Lou’s gaze. He considers lying. Dismisses it. “I screwed up, Lou. Big time.”

Lou’s gaze slides to the right. Through the glass they can see Danny leaning against the computer table. Danny’s got his back to them: head hanging down between his shoulders, his body language screams ‘beaten’.

Lou slides his gaze back to Steve. “I’m guessing this isn’t just because you booked him on a couples’ therapy weekend?”

“No.”

“And it’s not the fact that he’s still limping on that ankle he hurt?”

Steve rubs hard at his eyeball with the pad of his thumb. He’s had a niggling headache ever since they got back from Maui that won’t go away. “I thought I was doing the right thing, you know? I figured we’d hang out, have fun. Just…enjoy each other’s company like we used to.” He slides his hand across his eyes. Breaks Lou gaze. “I miss that.”

“I know.”

The sympathy in Lou’s voice makes him swallow, hard. “I should have stopped it as soon as I knew we were in the wrong place and got the next flight out of there. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

Lou hums under his breath. “You were thinking you both needed a break. When was the last time you had a vacation?”

Steve peers at Lou from beneath his hand. “A vacation?”

“Yeah, a vacation.” Lou rolls his eyes at him. “When was the last time Danny went on a vacation?”

Steve considers that. Danny regularly travels to New Jersey. But that’s usually to take Grace and Charlie to see their grandparents, or to take on the big brother role and help sort out family problems. It’s not really a vacation.

Exhaling slowly, he lets his mind wander back to the hotel in Maui. “There were dolphins, and they had this artisanal soap, and the pillows… It was amazing. And the burgers, Lou.” His mouth waters at the memory. “Damn, the burgers were out of this world.”

Lou looks doubtful. “I don’t know, man. I’ve had some good burgers in my time.”

Steve slumps back in his chair. Sighs sadly. The hotel really had been that good. “You should take Renee.”

“Maybe I will.” Lou glances out at the main office – at Danny. “So what aren’t you telling me?”

Steve follows his gaze. Watches Danny. They’d actually had fun the day after the training course finished. They’d swam, drunk beer and passed out on sun loungers before eating enough food that night to last them for days. But even then Danny had looked like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. The guilt was almost visible. “We talked about relationships. About… _feelings_.”

Lou looks him in the eye. “Ah. Feelings.”

“Yup. Those things.”

“And how did that go?”

_Badly._ “How do you think?” Scrubbing his hand across his face, he tries to get his thoughts in order. “I just don’t get it. He’s the best dad I know. Present company accepted,” he adds hurriedly, with a nod at Lou, “but he still thinks he’s let Grace and Charlie down because he didn’t try harder to rescue his relationship with Rachel.”

Lou’s expression turns sad. “A Dad’s relationship with his kids, it’s complicated.”

Steve huffs, wryly. “Tell me about it.”

Lou acknowledges the truth of that with a nod. “When I made Samantha and Will leave Chicago and come here, damn I thought my heart was gonna break. It’s a hard thing to hear your kids say they hate you.”

Steve pinches the bridge of his nose, guilt washing over him. “I used to say that to my Dad all the time.” 

“And I bet you didn’t mean it,” Lou tells him, softly. “Samantha and Will didn’t either.”

Steve files that thought away to think about later. This conversation isn’t about him. “Grace and Charlie aren’t angry with Danny.”

“Maybe not.” Lou taps his head. “Up here, though? You feel like a failure. From the moment they’re born you promise them the earth. Not being able to give them that, that’s hard.”

_Damn, it’s a mess._ “So what do I do, Lou?” His hearts sinks as he catches sight of Danny again. Kono’s standing beside him now, her arm wrapped around his shoulders. “How do I put this right?”

Lou leans forward, his expression sympathetic. “You didn’t break it, Steve. It’s not yours to fix.”

Steve matches his pose, tapping the desktop with his forefinger in frustration. He’s not looking for forgiveness. Danny’s wellbeing, it’s _his_ responsibility. “I made it _worse_.”

Lou’s expression suggests he doubts that. He shrugs. “So make it…better.”

“How?”

Lou unfolds himself from the chair. He winces as his spine pops. “You know him better than the rest of us. What do you think will help?”

H50H50H50

Steve doesn’t get time to figure out the answer to that question. The case they’re working on takes up all his free time. In the end it’s Danny who (unknowingly) offers a solution: steaks and beers on Friday night at Steve’s place. Steve grabs the opportunity with both hands and makes a phone call.

It’s early evening when Danny turns up at his front door carrying Longboard beers and still wearing a sad face. Letting himself in, he limps into the kitchen, where Steve is waiting for him.

Steve flashes a grin in welcome. He’s got butterflies in his stomach. Sweat is rolling down his spine. “Steaks are on the grill. Why don’t you grab a beer and head outside? I’m just preparing the shrimp then I’ll join you.”

Danny nods. Manages a smile that is a weak imitation of his normal grin. Putting his own beers in the fridge, he pulls out a cold one and flicks the top off. Heading for the door, he hesitates. Looks back. “Thanks for inviting me over for the weekend. I don’t know what I would have done…you know…”

“I think you invited yourself,” Steve cuts in, rescuing him.

Danny lets out a long-suffering huff (exactly the reaction Steve was hoping for) and disappears out of sight. 

Steve waits for a few seconds before nervous excitement gets the better of him. Stopping long enough to grab the shrimp which he’d actually prepared earlier, he hurries after Danny.

As he gets to the dining room, Danny’s just stepping off the lanai. So he’s got a front row seat for the moment when Danny realises the two chairs on the beach are already occupied. Danny stops. Freezes. Doesn’t seem to know what to do. Then there’s an excited squeal from the beach and Charlie’s sliding off his chair and he’s running towards his Dad, laughing. 

Grace follows along behind. She’s playing it cool, giving Danny a chance a swing Charlie up in his arms. Then she breaks too, running up to let Danny give her a huge bear hug.

Steve loiters by the doorway. He doesn’t want to intrude. There’s a lump of emotion in his throat that’s stubbornly refusing to move. Turning away, he tries to clear his throat.

“Hey, you giant goof. Get out here.”

Turning round, he finds Danny waiting for him, with Charlie and Grace on each side. He’s beaming with his whole body. The dark cloud that’s been having hanging over since they returned from Maui has suddenly gone.

Rubbing at his nose, Steve does as he’s told. He raises his arms as he’s enveloped in a Williams family hug, and gives them a giant hug back.

When Charlie and Grace break away to run back to the beach, Steve pulls away too. Instantly Danny hauls him back in, wrapping his arms around him and holding on tight.

Steve goes with it. Breathes in deeply. He loves – is _in_ love – with this man. When something is wrong in Danny’s world, it’s wrong in his world too. To make Danny happy, there’s nothing more important.

Danny wraps his fingers in the front of his shirt. Pulls him closer. I know what you’re doing here,” he says, his nose inches from Steve’s.

Steve stares down his nose at him, cross-eyed. “What am I doing here?”

Danny grins at him. All teeth, his eyes glittering a bright blue. “You’re trying to cheer me up.”

“And?”

Danny’s grin grows. “It’s working.” His expression turns serious. “How did you persuade Rachel to let them come over for the evening? I’m not supposed to see them for another two weeks.”

Steve leans in closer. Over Danny’s shoulder he can see Grace kneeling down by Charlie, showing him something in the sea. “You’ve got them for the whole weekend, Danny.”

Danny goes still. Chewing at his bottom lip, he turns to watch Grace and Charlie too. “How the hell did you manage that?”

“I may have begged,” Steve confesses with a shrug. It had been worth it. “I’m sorry.”

Danny turns back to study him. “For begging?”

Steve takes a step back. Tugs at his ear nervously. “For… for making things worse by signing us up for the couples’ retreat.”

Danny sighs. “You didn’t make it worse, babe.” He takes a step forward, closing the space between them. Taps the side of his head. “All that stuff, it’s always in here.”

“I _know_ that and I still made us stay and—”

“It was an amazing hotel.”

Steve blinks at the change of subject. “It was.” He cocks his head on one side, studies Danny’s face. Recalls his discussion with Lou. “Maybe you could take Grace and Charlie. Just for a few days,” he adds, as Danny looks doubtful. “Charlie would love the dolphins.”

Danny’s eyes follow his son’s progress along the beach. “Yeah,” he answers softly, “ I remember the first time Grace swam with dolphins. You did good that day, babe.”

Steve looks away, studies his shoes. His cheeks have gone warm. “Grace would love the spa treatments and—”

“Uh uh. That one’s on you. I draw the line at pedicures.”

“Me?” Steve looks up in surprise. “I’m coming with you?”

Danny plants a hand in the middle of his chest. Shoves gently. “Get your ass over there and feed my family and I might, just _might_ , forgive you for being the biggest idiot on the island.”

Steve goes where he’s shoved. His heart feels like it’s going to burst out of his chest. “ _Just_ the island?”

His attempt at mock-disappointment works. “Maybe in the whole world,” Danny mutters as he wanders off to join his family.

Steve watches him go. Danny’s grinning from ear to ear. His easy swagger is back. The defeated posture is a distant memory. His heart swells with love for this annoying, frustrating, loving man and his family who have pushed their way into his heart and claimed permanent ownership of it. 

Grinning madly, he hurries to join them.

His Danny is _back_.

The End


End file.
